Thanksgiving treat: Home from Afghanistan as of Tuesday, celebrating with family on Thursday

Photos by Adam Bird | The Grand Rapids PressGrada Groen hugs her nephew Alan Oosterbaan as the family gathered at their Bauer home for a family Thanksgiving. Oosterbaan is back from 10 months in Afghanistan.

BLENDON TOWNSHIP - Michigan Army National Guard Spc. Alan Oosterbaan never forgot the taste of his grandma's mashed potatoes, especially during his unit's eight-hour treks through the rugged mountains of Afghanistan.

And they never tasted as good as they did Thursday, two days after he returned from a 10-month tour in Afghanistan.Oosterbaan, 26, of Allendale Township, gave thanks that he made it home in time to down a healthy serving for Thanksgiving dinner.

"It's an awesome feeling," Oosterbaan said. "I tried not to hold my breath, but I'm really excited and glad I made it home and can enjoy Thanksgiving with my family and relatives."

Oosterbaan is among 126 soldiers from the 1431st Engineer Company of the Michigan Army National Guard's 107th Engineering Battalion based in Calumet, who returned Tuesday, said Sgt. Christopher Bates. Oosterbaan spent the past 10 months searching for roadside bombs and snipers in a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border.

His unit clears the way for soldiers who must travel in the region, among the most dangerous in the world.

"We are the guys that are out in front of everything," Oosterbaan said. "If guys are gonna get hit first, it's us, and if something's gonna blow up, it hits us."

Surrounded by a group of some 15 friends and family members, he spent Thanksgiving at his grandmother's home in Blendon Township enjoying a meal he never saw the likes of in Afghanistan -- homemade Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, bread, and of course, several different types of pie.

"On base, (the food) is not horrible, but it just gets really repetitive," Oosterbaan said. "It's like a low-quality buffet."

Oosterbaan says it's a relief to be away from the seemingly constant violence and danger he was surrounded by in Afghanistan. He's not sure when he'll next deploy, but he says he could have as much as two years off.

"It's a big relief to finally know that at least this tour is over with," Oosterbaan said. "The trip home was long and just getting here was a struggle in itself."

Alan Oosterbaan, right, with his grandparents, Gerrit, left, and Dien Doctor, middle, as the family gathered for a family thanksgiving.
His father, Dale, agrees. He says it was emotionally draining having his son serve in one of the world's most dangerous places.

"His job over there was very dangerous," he said. "It was emotional worrying about him so it's good we don't have to do that anymore."

For the 180,000 troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, Thanksgiving will consist of 105,000 pounds of turkey white meat, 87,000 pounds of turkey dark meat, 9,000 cans of cranberry sauce and 51,000 pies. The holiday food totals more than $4 million.Until the past few days, Oosterbaan wasn't entirely sure he would make it home in time for Thanksgiving. It took numerous flights -- four in Afghanistan alone -- before he arrived Tuesday night via helicopter at Gerald R. Ford International Airport.

"I was hoping that I could get home around Thanksgiving," he said. "That was my goal from the get go."